Mineral Resources of New Mexico
Mining has shaped the course of civilization and still plays an important role in the economy of the world by providing raw materials. Minerals are essential to meeting the needs of present society as well as contributing to a sustainable future. People benefit from using minerals every day. Metals and industrial mineral resources are used in nearly every sector of construction and manufacturing. Energy minerals provide electricity, fuels, and are used in industrial applications. Agriculture depends upon minerals for fertilizers and pesticides. The production and flow of minerals in the U. S. and the world has increased dramatically in the last 100 years as the quality of life has improved (Fig. 1, Wagner, 2002). The U. S. is still a major producer of aggregate, iron, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, molybdenum and other minerals and also imports these and other minerals (Smith, 2001; Wagner, 2002). Future production and consumption of minerals will increase in the future as population increases and people demand an increasingly better quality of life.
The use of raw materials in the U. S. increased dramatically during the last 100 years (from Wagner, 2002).
The value of mining multiplies in the economy. The mining industry provides additional benefits to the communities where they are located by contributing wages, economic activity due to purchases of goods and services, taxes, royalties and fees to local, state and national governments. Many of the first responders and emergency medical technicians in rural areas are trained and employed by the mining industry.
Environmentally responsible mining and processing of these minerals is vital to our national economy and to a better quality of life. “One of the greatest challenges facing the world today is integrating economic activity with environmental integrity and social concerns… The fulfillment of ‘needs’ is central to the definition of sustainable development” (IIED, 2002). Thus the goal of sustainable development is to achieve human and ecosystem well-being by continuing the flow of minerals by mining with as little damage to the environment as possible.
New Mexico's mineral wealth is one of the richest endowments of any state in the U. S. (McLemore et al., 2002). In 2000, New Mexico ranked 18th in the U. S. in nonfuel minerals production, as compared to 21st in 1999 (Table 1—PDF: Total minerals production value in New Mexico from 1989 to 2000). New Mexico also ranked 13th in coal production in the U. S. in 2000. In addition, significant reserves of coal, copper, potash, and molybdenum are identified in the state. Most of New Mexico’s mineral production comes from coal, copper, and potash (Table 2—PDF: Minerals production data in New Mexico 1999—2001). Other commodities produced in the state include a variety of industrial minerals (including stone and aggregate), sulfuric acid, molybdenum, gold, uranium, and silver (Table 2).
References
- Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, 1997, New Mexico’s Natural Resources; Data and statistics for 1996: Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, Annual Report, 48 pp.
- Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, 1998, New Mexico’s Natural Resources; Data and statistics for 1997: Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, Annual Report, 48 pp.
- Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, 1999, New Mexico’s Natural Resources; Data and statistics for 1998: Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, Annual Report, 64 pp.
- Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, 2000, New Mexico’s Natural Resources; Data and statistics for 1999: Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, Annual Report, 68 pp.
- Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, 2001, New Mexico’s Natural Resources; Data and statistics for 2000: Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, Annual Report, 68 pp.
- Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, 2002, New Mexico’s Natural Resources; Data and statistics for 2001: Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, Annual Report, 72 pp.
- International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), 2002, Mining Minerals Sustainable Development Breaking new ground: International Institute for Environment and Development, www.iied.org/mmsd (accessed on March 27, 2002).
- McLemore, V. T., Hoffman, G. K., and Pfeil, J., 2002, Minerals industry in New Mexico in 1998-2000: New Mexico Geology, v. 24, p. 19-28.
- Smith, S. S., 2000, Preliminary statistical summary: U. S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodities Yearbook, 7 pp., http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/statistical _summary#myb (accessed on March 27, 2001).
- Tanner, A. and McLemore, V. T., 1999, Mineral industry surveys New Mexico—1998: U. S. Geological Survey, 6 pp.
- Tanner, A. and McLemore, V. T., 2001a, Mineral industry surveys New Mexico—1999: U. S. Geological Survey, 6 pp. http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/state/nm.html#myb
- Tanner, A. and McLemore, V. T., 2001b, Mineral industry surveys New Mexico—2000: U. S. Geological Survey, 5 pp.
- Wagner, L. A., 2002, Materials in the Economy— Material Flows, Scarcity, and the Environment: U. S. Geological Survey, Circular1221, 34 p. http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2002/c1221/
Staff With Expertise Related to Metallic Ores
Reuben Archuleta — Metallurgical Lab Technician II
Kelley Donahue — Senior Geological Lab Associate
Doug Bland — Economic Geologist
Bob Eveleth — Senior Mining Engineer
Ibrahim Gundiler — Senior Extractive Metallurgist
Virginia McLemore — Senior Economic Geologist
New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources
New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology
801 Leroy Place
Socorro, NM 87801-4796
information: (575) 835-5420
fax: (575) 835-6333
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu
The New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources is a research and service division of:
